What does paleontology study? Where does the evidence from this study come from?
- paleontology looks at prehistoric life
- >the evidence for these studies comes from fossils
What is a fossil
- it is any preserved evidence left behind by a prehistoric organism
- > they are found buried in ancient rock formations
What are examples of dinosaur fossils
- examples are:
- >footprints, eggshels, poop, feather and skin impressions
What is the definition of an adaptation
-adaptations are traits that have evolved because they have specific functions
How do bones help serve animals major functions(describe four of them)
1) Bones passively resist gravity and maintain animals form
- >bones act like support columns
2)Bones provide a rigid framework for muscle attachment
3) Bones provide protection and can be a major component of horns/weapons
- >eg; skull
4) Bones store mineral reserves
- >eg; osteoclasts and osteoblasts
Are dinosaurs vertebrates
-yes they are vertebrates
What two structures do vertebrates have
- they have:
- >skulls and vertebrae
What is the vertebrae made up of and what do multiple vertebrae make up
- they primarily are structures of bone/cartilage
- > they surround the spinal nerve cord
-together, vertebrae interlock to make a vertebrae column
Give examples of invertebrates
- spiders, snails, squids, clams, jellyfish and worms
- >so basically insects and some sea animals
Are vertebrates or invertebrates more populated on land
-vertebrates are more populated on land
What is the brain case
- it is a hollow chamber formed by multiple skull bones
- > the BRAIN CASE houses the brain
- > many small openings in the brain case
Are there nerves in the brain case
- yes the brain case contains many small holes
- >nerves pass through these openings and connect to the brain
How does size and shape of a brain case help scientists?
- the size and shape of the brain case indicates the size and shape of the brain that it housed
- > therefore, provides clues to a dinosaur’s mental capabilities
What are nares and orbits
- nares are the pair of openings for nostrils
- orbits are the pair of openings for the eyes
Where is the laterotemporal fenestrae
-fenestrae on the lateral side of the skull
Where is the supratemporal fenestrae
-they are located on top of the skull
What is the purpose of the laterotemporal fenestrae and supratemporal fenestrae
-they provide extra room for large jaw muscles
Where is the antorbital fenestrae located
- it is located between each orbit and naris
- >function is unclear
Describe the basic form of vertebra. Make sure to include terms such as centrum, neural arch and neural canal
- the vertebra has a spool or disk-shaped body called centrum
- above the centrum is the neural arch, which covers the neural canal
- the neural canal is the opening in each vertebra
- > this is where spinal nerves run through
What are vertebral processes
-they provide attachment surfaces for muscles and sometimes provide articulation surfaces for ribs
What are the two types of vertebral processes
- they are transverse processes
- > extend from the lateral sides of the vertebrae
- spinous processes
- > which extend upwards from the neural arch
What are vertebrae in the neck referred to as
- they are referred to as cervical vertebrae
- > they have extra-large openings for blood and nerve channels
- > adapted to support the weight of an animal’s head
What are the vertebrae in the back referred to as
- they are referred to as dorsal vertebrae
- >they often have tall spinous processes and large rib articulation surfaces
What are the vertebrae in the hips referred to as
- they are referred to as sacral vertebrae
- >pelvic bones are fused to the sacral vertebrae
